test drive meme #21

[hadrielmods]

Welcome to Hadriel's test drive, and thank you again for your interest in the game! As always, our reserves page is here, and our applications page is here! Reserves open June 24th, and apps are open July 1st. Please remember that there is an app cap of 20 apps.

Two quick points here as well:

1. Any thread made in Hadriel's test drive will be accepted as the sole Action Log sample in the application.
2. All threads made in the test drive can be considered game canon, either through handwaving or through a shared mental experience while coming through the Door!

Test drives will be broken up into specific god mini-events, during which your characters can see how well they fare under the watchful eye of one of the gods. Choose wisely or just simply pick 'em all, and have fun!

F E A R

SCENARIO ONE: A LITTLE FRENZIED
[The Door brings in all that is chaotic and evil in the world. This may include you, may include the person next to you... and may include the monster behind you.

Do you hear something weird? Some kind of strange, constant humming? Hopefully by now you know enough to know that it's probably not nothing, and maybe you should run. If you don't, well- the Door has brought in some Winter Lanterns, from the Bloodborne video game.

Winter Lanterns are rather hideous creatures that hum constantly and glow orange when they detect someone's presence. They can grab you with their tentacles and take a nice bite out of you, which is super fun, or they can mess you up just by looking at you too long. Yep, hanging out in the gaze of a Winter Lantern for too long will end with you being afflicted by Frenzy - blood shooting out all over the place. Not great for the health, really, so maybe don't get into a staring contest. Maybe just run.]

S O R R O W / L O V E

SCENARIO TWO: HAUNTED
[You thought you might never see them again, but now they're here. That person you loved - that person you miss terribly. Except that you seem to be the only person who can see them, and you also seem to be getting steadily weaker.

So that's what it comes down to, then. This ghost that's haunting you will take your life so it can live, even if it doesn't mean to. Do you have the ability to stop them? You'll have to kill them to do it, and you love them so much. Now's the time to make your choice - but be careful. They're strong enough to be visible now, and one of your friends or even a passing stranger might have something to say about your decision.

This is a mini version of our Ghosts That You Know event this month!]

T R A N Q U I L I T Y

SCENARIO THREE: SLEEPING SICKNESS
[For some reason you can't quite put your finger on, you're tired. Like really tired. Like slurring your words, stumbling over your own feet, nodding off if you stop for a second tired. You can't seem to get enough rest no matter what you try - because it's always a light sleep. The slightest sound or movement will wake you up, leaving you just as tired and irritable as before.

What are you going to do? Try to find a quiet place to nap? Good luck. It seems like a lot of other people have the same idea as you - it might be hard to find a truly empty place. Or maybe you just can't take it anymore, and you're going to lay down and take a nap right in the middle of the street. Or maybe you actually feel fine, but everyone around you is falling asleep - and they glare at you when you make the slightest sound.

Maybe you should wake them up? Sleeping in the middle of the street isn't exactly safe. But then, maybe you just want to join them and argue over who gets the most comfortable bit of road.]

Comments

Dr. Temperance Brennan | Bones | will match format

[notimpervious]

fear

The problem with consumate scientists like Brennan is that very, very little exists that can scare her away from investigating something new. So if you happen to be in the colosseum today and you see this lady in a blue lab coat approaching a monster, maybe do her a solid and save her?

sorrow/love

"Hi, Mom."

Brennan knows this isn't real. There is no such thing as life after death, and even if there were, this is still a very detailed coma dream, or so she's still saying. But just because it's all a delusion, that doesn't mean she's going to scream at her mother's "ghost" until she's gone. Christine Brennan has gotten more solid since she first appeared, and...

And didn't Cam say she saw her mother's ghost once?

Brennan has so much trouble getting up these days, but she still forces herself to make the walk to the lab every day. This morning, however, she has to stop just outside the spire she's living in, stop and lean heavily against the wall and stare at her mother and memorize the way she looks.

"I think... I must be losing my mind."

"No, honey," says Christine. "But... you're losing your life."

Brennan snickers. "I know. I need to wake up." She's missing her baby girl's firsts. "Did you come to do that?"

Christine's smile turns sad, but Brennan doesn't see it, her eyes shut as the exhaustion starts to truly wear on her.

At this stage, just about anyone can see she's a hair's breadth from falling down. If Christine sees you walk by and you don't approach on your own, she'll call out to you: "I need your help. My daughter needs your help."


tranquility

There's not enough coffee in the world to fight this sleepiness, but guess who's fishing by the lake.

Or at least, she's set up a makeshift fishing rod and all the rest and is now lying on the blanket she brought with her.

"Do not touch anything," Brennan will snap sleepily when she hears you approach. "I am not an expert in survival skills, but--" she yawns "--I will determine if what I catch is not harmful to eat. Somehow."

Tranquility because I'm sure we'd wanna officially log the feels of her arrival

[lifetothefullest]

"I'm not sure this is worth the risk right now, Dr. Brennan." Lance is undeterred by her tone, sitting down next to her on the bank and eyeing the water suspiciously for a moment before looking back at her. "Besides, you should be getting some rest."

Of course that's easier said than done here right now, but that doesn't mean they should stop trying, right?

yes, the feels where she tells him she is dreaming lmao

[notimpervious]

Why, Sweets. Why can't you just let her lie here by the water. She was almost asleep.

"Dr. Sweets, I have taken numerous naps over the past thirty-six hours and have seen no improvement in my energy levels. Therefore, I--" another yawn-- "am making better use of my time. By multitasking. I am a vegetarian, but perhaps fish will provide nutrients that are missing from my diet here."

AKA she's desperate.

"Besides, you should sleep too."

yes, and he pretends everything is totally cool with that, exactly

[lifetothefullest]

Okay, fine, he can't argue with that logic, although he's not super pleased about it. At least, he can't argue with anything but the last comment; that part he can definitely object to.

"I've been having the same results as you, so I'm also making better use of my time." By trying to make sure she doesn't eat Hadriel's version of fugu or something. "How are you planning to figure out if the fish are edible or not?"

thisisfine.gif that's it that's the thread

[notimpervious]

"You are?" She turns her head just far enough that she can see him. "So aside from speaking with me right now, what else are you doing?"

That would be sass from literally anybody else, but she isn't even at the top of her conversational game right now, so it's even less so than normal from her.

At his question, she turns her head back to face the fishing pole, following the line into the water. "I will examine it at the lab. Then I will taste it. A coma dream fish will not cause me coma pain."

Tranquility pls!

[drabsolutelynot]

"Ah, no," Rosen looks a bit flustered, stopping in his tracks. "I haven't the faintest clue how to fish in the first place so I wasn't about to take anything. I just wanted to make sure you weren't injured or ill."

He's not exactly used to people just lying around here in the cave. Not that the fishing rod and the blanket weren't a giveaway, but still.

"So, um," he remains where he is standing a few paces again, hands swinging a little awkwardly at his sides, "are you alright then, I take it?"

yes good also i'm sorry about her

[notimpervious]

"The basics of fishing are extremely easy to learn. Even a child can do it." Despite how condescending that might sound, she's just being factual.

Brrennan does not turn to face him. She is too comfortable here, the sound of the water too soothing. "Yes. I sm perfectly well. Just tired, which... seems to be a city-wide problem."

This dream is Too Real.

Nah so long as she doesn't try to hang him off a bridge he's fine w/it

[drabsolutelynot]

Rosen's not too put off at the bluntness, its not entirely unfamiliar given some of his patients. So instead he smiles, canting his head to the side in a bashful motion. "Yes that may be so, but as of yet I've never taken the time to learn it."

He takes a single step closer, just trying to get a better look so he can check for any signs of illness.

"Well, this city does play tricks on people. Tiredness wouldn't be particularly surprising."

she's gotten a lot better about attacking people!!

[notimpervious]

He's in her peripheral vision now, but Brennan stays as she is. There's no need to get up or do much more but lie here.

"You are... not feeling tired?" Or is Rosen as stubborn as her boyfriend/partner? Then again, Rosen doesn't strike her as an alpha male.

Fear

[unitas]

The Winter Lantern seems to respond to Brennan's presence, the bulbous growths on the creature lighting up. Sharon knows immediately that this could get ugly quickly and, despite her strong desire to flee, she finds herself moving quickly across the dirt. The orange glow is a no-good, very-bad sign. Monsters don't just glow because they want you to see. No, no. Monsters glow to lure you in. Monsters glow to attack.

Sharon finds that the rush of adrenaline and fear is enough to cause things around her to spark and she wastes no time in taking advantage of her own emotional turmoil. It takes just a glare at the creature and a clenching of a fist as she moves to result in a burst of fire, burning the creatures flesh. It jolts at the first lick of flame.

As she does this, she yells at Brennan,"Move the fuck away, you idiot!"

What is it with people walking straight into danger here? The next person that does it, she's leaving.

[notimpervious]

So much happens so fast. The creature becomes aware of her presence and indicates such by illuminating parts of its flesh. Its humming intensifies, and then-- fire.

Brennan jumps back, arms raised to cober her face, fully expecting the creature to explode. Only it doesn't; a girl comes into view instead.

"I just did!" Did you not see her jump back?? "Furthermore I am not an idiot. I am a scientist, and I am observing this--" she gestures to the burning creature-- "organism. Or rather, I was, until it burst into flame."

What a strange coma dream this is. Why couldn't she have a tamer one, like Booth's?

[unitas]

"You only jumped back when I set it on fire," She corrects the other woman as she nears her, eying the creature warily, aware that she needs to be cautious. It's not done or out by any means and, given it's size, Sharon doubts she could kill it without endangering both herself and Little Miss Scientest,"It's a monster that wants to kill you. Learn to observe from a distance or the next thing you approach will be the end of you here."

It seems harsh but Oh. My. God. We do not play with things that are that much bigger than ourselves without extreme caution, scientest or not, intellectual or not, smartass or not.

"Now, let's go before it decides to fucking eat us," She motions toward the exit, not too far from them,"Come back after the coliseum's been cleared out and poke its dead body, if you're that curious."

Sharon seems positively antsy. Let's go, go, go, go. The hair on the back of her neck is standing up and her bright eyes dart between Brennan and the creature, her worry clear and obvious.

[notimpervious]

"You only said to after you set it on fire!" This is not the hill Brennan will die on, but she'll stand and fight for a bit. "A bit" being the time it takes for Sharon to offer an alternative and less dangerous time to investigate. "Oh. I was not expecting they would die. I will return later, then."

The girl with remote explosives (it is clearly not magic) seems keen to leave, and if she is native to this place (the knowñedge she has of the colosseum and what will happen to what's in it certainly indicates such) then it's best to follow what she says. Integrate and observe without disturbing the status quo.

"All right. If you shoe me how to get out of here, I will."

Fear ; BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY THIS COULD GO POORLY

[yearrounder]

This waant even the weirdest thing to happen to Annabeth this week let alone ever. At first she'd just sighed and blamed Hera (really who else would do something like this) but that was before she saw the monsters. Nothing like she'd seen before. Completely disgustin . And...wait, was that someone actually walking toward one?

"Hey! What are you doing?!" No points there for creativity, but she didn't need them as long as this mysterious crazy person actually listened. Always a crapshoot. She reached for her knife and ran toward it, as much as she would have preferred to "strategically retreat," and tried to position herself between the woman and the creature. Yuck.

"You'd better get out of here unless you really want to get horribly murdered."

((Also I'm sorry for being late to the party))

[notimpervious]

"What--"

Everything about what has just happened indicates that the young girl standing between Brennan and the creature with the glowing orange clumps on it, is trying to protect Brennan.

"I feel compelled to tell you that if it were not clear to me that you believe you are helping me, what you just said could be construed as a threat."

But with the way the creature is... approaching the girl, it's evident that the girl is right.

Brennan looks around and spots what looks like an exit off to her left. "This way -- run!"

[yearrounder]

If this weren't so inordinately dangerous already, Annabeth might have rolled her eyes but she knew wnough, at least, not to do that when there was potential death in the immediate future. Unless Leo was involved. He'd make it impossible.

"Yes, welcome to my life." Mortals. Really. And still the more she watched the creature creep closer and start glowing (why) the more she would rather they were anywhere else. Even if she didn't even know where this was or if it was even any safer anywhere else.

She took a few cautious steps backward, eyes on the beast, holding the knife in front of her, defensive. How was it going to attack? What would her counterattack have to be?

Or running. Running was good too.

"Go. I'll be right behind you. I'm not staying here with this thing."

[notimpervious]

What does that mean??

There's no time to ask. The creature is moving closer. The girl is right about its intent, apparently

Beennan, however, is not letting the girl out of her sight. She makes it to the possible exit, checks to be sure there's nothing waiting around the corner for them, and then waits for the girl.

you know what this is

[dedikated]

( Her parents died a long time ago, and her first time around in this city taught her too much to trust the first flickers of her dad's presence. So Kate ignores him, bites her tongue and goes about her day with most of her energy disappearing too quickly - poured into trying to block out the sounds of his voice and being drained because she can't bring herself to do what needs to be done. It took too long to leave deaths behind, and in the three years which passed between her times here, she's finally gotten used to simply being in the clinic, working to help people. The strength, or whatever it might have been, to fulfil the tasks that claw at her heart has all but evaporated from her blood.

She looks over from her tunnelled journey down the streets towards the Spires as Christine calls out, shakes off the exhaustion that has her stepping slower than usual and darts over. )

-- You're not real, are you?

( It's the same story as the lanky, curly haired man behind her, the one whose face is a sad twist of a smile. Pride at his daughter's response undercut by the bitter knowledge of what has to come for them both to survive.

Kat, you're going to have to- )

Hey- ( She ignores her dad's voice again, ducks under Brennan's arm and wraps one around her waist. ) C'mon, find you somewhere to sit.

( Her gut tells her that what appears to be her dad is right, but it's been years since she had to. She didn't even turn up with a weapon on her when this place pulled her back in. )

ready 2 suffer

[notimpervious]

[There's a moment where Christine looks relieved to see someone coming over to help, and then she's stunned into stillness.]

No, she's not, [says Brennan as she lets Kate lead her away. They arrived in this place on the same day, and they've spoken at the clinic before. Kate is not a stranger. She may be nothing more than an elaborate construct of her comatose brain, but she isn't one of the ones who would fight or hurt her without provocation.] My mother died years... years ago.

[She had identified the remains. They'd found her killer. Worked out the story.

It is so good to have her here, though.

"Kate, please help her. She's dying because I'm here."]

She's beautiful, isn't she. This ring used to be hers. [The ring on her right ring finger, the only one she wears every day.] I think she means... if I don't wake up, I will lose my family.

upside down smile emoji

[dedikated]

( Working is easy. Her body reacts to doing before anything else. Before she tries to argue (and it's pointless, she knows it's pointless, she's had this conversation with Brennan before and it fizzled out - talking it out right now is a waste of breath she can't spare when her own limbs are heavy and numb and her mind feels like soup) or agree to Christine's conditions. There's a knife strapped to her side since she got here, picked up from the armory in a decision that came from knowing this place all too well. It's not her favourite weapon, but in Hadriel, you need something to save you when the shit, inevitably, goes down.

(A few days ago, her dad caught sight of it and winced. Said he wished she and Marc never needed to go through this, that he was sorry it happened. She still doesn't understand why he's sorry, when the only person who could affect that decision was her. She could always have tried harder, and her dad didn't ask to be killed-)

They're both dead, here, growing stronger. Her mind could put the pieces together if she weren't so tired, but it's her dad who has to talk further: Kat, you know why it needs to happen. We're dead. We're killing you because we shouldn't be here. )

Not quite. ( Her voice is a rasp of exhaustion as she wraps her hand around the hilt of the blade and squeezes her eyes shut for a moment. This is Hadriel. It always plays games.

But it doesn't stop her from shaking as she slits their throats. Her dad's first, the energy regain hitting her like a truck, then Christine. This is Hadriel, but she still feels the piercing of her heart like she'd stabbed herself instead of freed them both, still lets the apology stick on her tongue - unsaid but running through her head all the same. Sorry I couldn't do better. )

... Shit.

( They weren't real, so they don't bleed all over her, but somehow she's more tired than she was a minute ago. )

single teardrop emoji

[notimpervious]

[The way they die is unreal, imposible like they are. No blood, no flesh, no bones. They leave nothing behind after their throats are slashes and they fall, except the memory of Christine smiling as she covers the wound to stave off the flow of nonexistent blood, her gaze locked on her daughter's in a silent goodbye.

None of this is real, but Brennan finds it hurts anyway, more so because she has the strength now to power the emotion. Brain chemistry fires off, seeking to drown out the facts. She clings to rational thought the way she clung to Booth when he saved her from her first time almost becoming a murder victim since they started working together. (She hears the dogs barking, feels the throbbing in her head from where the corrupt agent clobbered her, sees him approach with the gun as he tells her he'll be merciful and make sure she's dead before he makes her flesh appetizing for the starving dogs.)

Before she knows it, the ghosts are gone. Brennan takes a shaky breath.]

Thank you. [Her voice is quiet and breathy, but not uncertain.] You-- you did something that was necessary. She-- she was not really my mother. [Pausing, she looks at Kate.] Who was the man?

Fear, but like, a More Chill Version

[nonscriptum]

[Nate didn't have to look too long at those things to realize that they weren't friendly, and frankly, an idiot could tell that they weren't just judging by the wet-looking protuberances, the slick and dripping eyeballs, the sheer unnaturalness of them. He thought he'd engage in a little civic duty by dropping in at the Colosseum to lend a hand to any newcomers who might experience distress at their arrival, largely because he needs some Thrills And Chills, and partly because he's not bad with a gun.

What he doesn't expect to see is someone in a lab coat observing one of the creatures from a (slightly) safe distance, as if committing the movements to memory.]

Hey, uh.

[Nate sidles up, keeping his tone light but with that mild concern winnowing in at the edges, one eye on the...thing covered in eyes. Yeesh.]

What are you doing?

i'm down

[notimpervious]

[Oh. Another person. Brennan stops and glances at him, her voice not as quiet as his. She definitely thinks she's whispersing, though.]

Observing. [She nods at the organism.] It seemed to be responding to my approach.

[nonscriptum]

[She's stage whispering, which is being generous to stage whispering. It's more like flirting with the idea of stage whispering, in the way that David Attenborough does when explaining animal habits while the animal is three feet away.]

Yeah, that's because it's a Lovecraftian nightmare that probably turns people inside-out.

[He feels sick just looking at it, which is probably part of its eldritch charm.]

Also it's got, like, a hundred eyeballs. Noticing is probably its strong suit.

[notimpervious]

[That is true. Booth always says her whispering is never as quiet as she thinks it is.]

.....I don't know what that means.

[But it's not important.]

What evolutionary imperative led to it selecting for so many eyes? Perhaps it is in fact very weak, so it needs that many eyes in order to identify potential predators before the predators notice it, affording it the best chance to escape.